Celebrating Recycle Week as a top-performing LA

This Recycle Week, we’re pleased to be raising the profile of our fantastic Waste and Recycling teams, who’s hard work has positioned the Vale of Glamorgan in the top tier of recyclers in Wales.

October 17-23 is Recycle Week. This year's theme is 'Let's Get Real', which seeks to challenge perceptions and myths around recycling, and target contamination to improve recycling behaviours.

Over the last three years, the authority has undergone extensive changes to improve the quality of our recycling. Back in 2020, Barry followed in the footsteps of the Rural Vale, becoming the second area in the county to move to the source-separated recycling system.
Residents started using new orange bags, white bags and grey caddies, alongside existing blue bags, green food waste caddies and green garden waste bags.  

More of the material collected can now be recycled, reducing the detrimental impact of domestic waste on the natural environment. This behaviour is paving the way to helping us achieve our Project Zero aims of net-zero carbon by 2030.

On an average week, just under 1,000 tonnes of material,  the equivalent to the weight of more than 166 African Elephants, is now collected from Vale of Glamorgan residents.

In last year’s verified report, Vale residents were the second-best recyclers in Wales. We are also one of the few authorities to have already exceeded the Welsh Government’s target of 70% recycling rate by 2024-25.

The county’s average black bag waste production is also significantly lower than the national household average, clocking in at 342kg compared to 401kg.

These fantastic stats are thanks to our team’s efforts in engaging residents online and on roadshows, in addition to the crews who have taken the time to stop and chat to residents during their rounds.